Bolivia

1- TIME ZONE

Bolivia’s local time is 4 hours behind Greenwich Meridian Time (GMT-4), which may vary in relation to winter or summer daylight savings for each country.

2- ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

For tourist trips to Bolivia, three groups of countries are distinguished:

• List of countries that do not require a Tourist Visa to enter Bolivia (Group I). 
• List of countries that require a tourist visa to enter Bolivia (Group II). They have the option of requesting a visa in advance at the Bolivian consulate in their country (free of charge) or obtaining it at the border.
• List of countries that require a tourist visa to enter Bolivia (Group III). They must apply for a visa in advance and can only do so directly at a Bolivian embassy.

Documents required to travel to Bolivia are:

• Passport with a minimum validity of six months after the expected date of arrival to Bolivia.
• Citizens of MERCOSUR and CAN (Andean Community of Nations) may enter the country with their national identity document.
• Some visas can be obtained upon arrival in the country, paying a fee determined by the Immigration office.

3-COVID19

Borders:

• Open with restrictions.
• Passengers are not allowed to enter if in the past 14 days they have been in Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa or Zimbabwe.

Entry Requirements:

• Fully vaccinated passengers are allowed to enter and are exempt from quarantine but are required to present a negative COVID-19 test result.
• Passengers must have a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test taken at most 72 hours before departure from the first embarkation point.
• A completed “Declaracion Jurada del viajero para el seguimiento COVID-19” must be presented upon arrival.

• Passengers must have insurance to cover COVID-19 expenses.
• Passengers without a COVID-19 vaccination certificate showing that they were fully vaccinated at least 14 days before arrival, are subject to a COVID-19 RT-PCR test 72 hours after arrival at their own expense and self-isolation until test results are ready.

4- CLIMATE

Despite the country’s location in the Tropic of Capricorn, due to its varied mountain  relief, Bolivia has diverse weather conditions that are a direct result of its different altitudes, rather than its distance from the equator.

Altiplano (or Bolivian Plateau)

• The average temperature ranges from 3° C at night, to 18° C during the daytime. For the winter season, the skies are clear, with a pleasant temperature.

Valleys and Yungas

• The Valleys and the Yungas are very humid and rainy regions.

These regions have a temperate climate, with the average temperature ranging from 5° C to 25° C at an altitude of 2,000 to 3,000 meters above sea level.

Llanos

The Llanos are humid, hot and with frequent rains throughout the year. The average temperature is 30° C.

Between the months of October and April we’ll experience a much warmer,  humid and rainy climate.

On the other hand, between the months of May and September, the climate becomes drier, seeing higher temperatures during the daytime and lower temperatures at night.

5-ELECTRICITY

• Electric voltage in Bolivia is 220 volts with alternating current of 50 Hz frequency, except in La Paz, where the standard voltage is 110/220 volts. The power sockets are of type A and C (US type) so you many need a power plug adapter when traveling.

6- CURRENCY

• Currency. Bolivia’s official currency is the boliviano (expressed as Bs. or BOB).

CURRENCY EXCHANGE

• It is recommended to exchange currency in safe places, such as the hotel where you are staying, banking agencies, or authorized currency exchange offices. The exchange rate could be higher than what’s offered on the street, but it is always safer to exchange your currency in authorized locations.

1 USD is equivalent to 6.96 Bs. according to the Bolivia’s official exchange rate.

7- TIPPING

• Even though leaving a tip is not mandatory, it is very well received, and doing it so or not, depends solely on how satisfied you are with the service provided. In restaurants and bars. The usual gratuity is 10% of the bill.
• For drivers. The amount is based on the number of hired days and how well the job was done, while also considering the type of service and the number of passengers. The suggested amount is $5 to $20 USD per day.
• Private drivers. Depending on the service, duration of the trip, and number of passengers, the suggested amount is $5 to $10 USD per day.
• Tour guides. The tip amount you decide to leave depends on the service provided, as well as the type of service and number of passengers. The suggested amount is $5 to $20 USD per day. It’s completely left at the discretion of the passenger.